The book also serves as a critique of the American legal and economic systems, despite being set in Mexico. The pearl buyers' collusion mirrors monopolistic practices that crush the individual producer. Steinbeck was a fierce critic of unchecked capitalism, and this novella is a subtle vehicle for those views. By reading the pearl pdf, students of economics and history can draw parallels between Kino's struggle and the labor movements of the 20th century. The pearl represents capital that the worker cannot control, eventually destroying the worker himself.